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Crows take inspiration from Port

Christian Mammone

Adelaide have a lot to learn from their cross-town neighbours Port Adelaide if they are to have any chance of playing finals football this season.

The fierce rivals will meet for the 37th Showdown clash, with the ledger tipped in Port's favour 20-16, on Sunday at Adelaide Oval.

Both sides are experiencing contrasting fortunes with the Power sitting a game clear atop the ladder while the Crows languish in 11th with a top-eight birth getting beyond their reach as each week passes.

Rory Sloane, who has co-captained Adelaide alongside fellow midfield gun Patrick Dangerfield in the absence of injured skipper Nathan Van Berlo, said there were a number of valuable lessons the Crows could learn from their bitter foes.

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"They are playing with so much confidence, they are setting the mark with their pressure and spread and running over the top of sides in the second halves of games," he said.

"Their pressure around the ball and the pressure they put on opposition teams really stands out.

"You watch Trav (Travis Boak), Ollie Wines, Robbie Gray and Brad Ebert, the way they run and spread in the midfield the way they help out their defence and really challenge teams by running forward as well - it's something to learn from."

Inconsistency has riddled the Crows this season with Brenton Sanderson's men yet to string together back-to-back wins this season.

While victories have been tough to come by on the road, Adelaide has won its past three games at Adelaide Oval.

"When we play our best we have matched it with some top four sides," Sloane said.

"By no means is it going to be easy (to defeat Port Adelaide), but we do know if we bring our best, increase our pressure around the ball and run hard, we can match it with them."

Midfielder Matt Crouch who was axed from the side that defeated the Kangaroos two weeks ago is expected to push hard for selection.